The Great Railway Bazaar is Paul Theroux's account of his epic journey by rail through Asia. Filled with evocative names of legendary train routes - the Direct-Orient Express, the Khyber Pass Local, the Delhi Mail from Jaipur, the Golden Arrow to Kuala Lumpur, the Hikari Super Express to Kyoto, and the Trans-Siberian Express - it describes the many places, cultures, sights and sounds he experienced and the fascinating people he met.

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Publisher's Summary

The Great Railway Bazaar is Paul Theroux's account of his epic journey by rail through Asia. Filled with evocative names of legendary train routes - the Direct-Orient Express, the Khyber Pass Local, the Delhi Mail from Jaipur, the Golden Arrow to Kuala Lumpur, the Hikari Super Express to Kyoto, and the Trans-Siberian Express - it describes the many places, cultures, sights, and sounds he experienced and the fascinating people he met.

Here he overhears snippets of chat and occasional monologues, and is drawn into conversation with fellow passengers, from Molesworth, a British theatrical agent, and Sadik, a shabby Turkish tycoon, while avoiding the forceful approaches of pimps and drug dealers. This wonderfully entertaining travelogue pays loving tribute to the romantic joys of railways and train travel.

A great travel adventure, written at a time when crossing the globe was a much more challenging experience. Will resonate with anyone who's embarked on a voyage across cultures.

What did you like best about this story?

It reminded me of what I love about freeform travel

What about Frank Muller’s performance did you like?

The narrator was excellent - when the accents seem natural and quietly add to the appreciation of the story, rather than being something that you notice outright, then the narrator has done their job well.

This was the book that made Paul famous. It isn't as long as the newer Ghost Train To The Eastern Star, which is also a revisit of this classic Paul Theroux. The description evoke vivid imagery throughout the fast paced trip. The narrator, however was a bit too fast paced. I would have been happier had he slowed down long enough for me to digest Paul's descriptive writing. I have taken the trains in China, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Sri Lanka. All are as dilapidated as Paul says they are, but they are cheap, slow and comfortable. A few of the Chinese trains are very sleek and clean now. The characters are what made these train books so great. I have to wonder if some of them aren't fictional. I met a few interesting people on the trains, but it was mostly traveling salesmen in China. I can speak fairly well, so interacting with the locals is what the train adventure is all about.

First, Frank Muller is my favorite narrator. Paul Theroux is a gifted author who writing in the general "travel" genre does not bore us with the silly and expected details of long waits in line that are the norm of travel. He does not bore us with the grandeur of the taj mahal, but instead focuses on the people along the way which opens the culture to us. What a gift.

What did you like best about this story?

The way that the author engaged the people wherever he went opening for us his take on the way people think and why.

The narrator of this story made it all come to life and it felt as though I was on the train travelling alongside and could smell and feel all the pleasures and discomforts afforded to the traveller. I have purchased the second part his return and already it has highlighted how the passing of time along with age makes you value and appreciate different things even after compensating and making allowances for memories being a ghost train and bringing about a sense of melancholy sense of loss.

6 of 6 people found this review helpful

Crispin

Tufnell Park, United Kingdom

3/29/14

Overall

Performance

Story

"Fascinating recreation of traveling in a bygone er"

Where does The Great Railway Bazaar rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

One of the best, top ten out of about 300 that I have tried

What did you like best about this story?

I have spent much of my life travelling around the world much of it solo. This books captures the experience and characters of a journey in detail. Paul's interactions and ability to portray the people you meet is brilliant. I love train travel and find this book almost like being on a journey.

What does Frank Muller bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

Frank is a great narrator, I enjoy the way he acts the parts

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No. It is relaxing rather than compelling, like the journey itself, not to be rushed. You don't want to flick to the end any more than you should want to get to your destination on a good journey. It is a train not a Ryan Air trip.

Any additional comments?

I was intrigued by the other reviews. Just goes to show, we are all different.

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

oliver

Wallingford, United Kingdom

3/26/14

Overall

Performance

Story

"Not the best audible book"

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

The story itself didn't grab me as his other books have. Paul appears to be bored himself during this journey which comes across, with a sense of apathy.

What will your next listen be?

not sure at this point

Would you be willing to try another one of Frank Muller’s performances?

Maybe

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Boredom

Any additional comments?

n/a

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

paul

Swindon, United Kingdom

1/26/13

Overall

"Intensely irritating narration"

Sadly the narration of this book ruined it for me , we where introduced to more and more characters as the story progressed their accents never sounded natural.and became intensely irritating

0 of 1 people found this review helpful

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